TOEFL iBT

Robert Capa

1. Robert Capa is a name that

that has ffor
or man
many
y year
yearss been synony
synonymous
mous wiwith
th war
photography.
2. Born iin
n Hungar
Hungary
y in 1913
1913 as Fr
Friedma
iedmannnn Endre Erno, Capa
Capa was fforced
orced to
to leave hi
hiss
native country after his involvement in anti government protests. Capa had
originally wanted to become a writer, but after his arrival in Berlin had first found
work as a photographer. He later left Germany and moved to France due to the
rise in Nazism. He tried to find work as a freelance journalist and it was here that
he changed his name to Robert Capa, mainly because he thought it would sound
more American.
3. In 1936 af
after
ter the breakout
breakout of the
the Spani
Spanish
sh Civil
Civil war Capa went
went to Spai
Spain
n and it was
here over the next three years that he built his reputation as a war photographer. It
was here too in 1936 that he took one o off his most famous pictures, The Death of a
Loyalist Soldier. One of Capa’s most famous quotes was ‘If your pictures aren’t
good enough, you’re not close enough’. And he took his attitude of getting close
to the action to an extreme. His photograph, The Death of a Loyalist Soldier is a
prime example of this as Capa captures the very moment the soldier falls. Though
many have questioned the authenticity of this photograph,
p hotograph, claiming that it was
staged.
4. When Wo World
rld wa
warr II br
broke
oke out, Capa
Capa was in New York,
York, but he was soon
soon back iinn
Europe covering the war for Life magazine. Some of his most famous work was
created on 6th June 1944 when he swam ashore with the first assault on Omaha
Beach in the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
No rmandy. Capa, armed only with two cameras,
took more than one hundred photographs in the first hour of the landing, but a
mistake in the darkroom during the drying of the film destroyed all but eight
frames. It was the images from these frames however that inspired the visual style
of Steven Spielberg’s Oscar winning movie ‘Saving Private Ryan’. When Life
magazine published the photographs, they claimed that they were slightly out of
focus, and Capa later used this as the title of his autobiographical account of the

war. privat
5. Capa’s privatee life was no
no less dramati
dramatic.
c. He was friend
friend to ma
many
ny of Hol
Hollywoo
lywood’s
d’s
directors, actors and actresses. In 1943 he feel in love with the wife of actor John
Austin. His affair with her lasted until the end of the war and became the subject
of his war memoirs. He was at one time lover to actress Ingrid Bergman. Their
relationship finally ended in 1946 when he refused to settle in Hollywood and
went off to Turkey.
6. In 1947 CCapa
apa was among
among a group
group of ph
photojo
otojournal
urnalists
ists w
who
ho found
founded
ed Magnum
Magnum
Photos. This was a co-operative organization set up to support photographers and
help them to retain ownership of the copyright to their work.
7. Capa wen
wentt on to document
document many otother
her wars.
wars. He ne
never
ver att
attempte
empted
d to glam
glamorize
orize wa
warr
though, but to record the horror. He once said,” The desire of any war
photographer is to be put out
ou t of business.”
 8. Capa di
died
ed as he had
had live
lived.
d. Afte
Afterr promising
promising not to phot
photograph
ograph any
any more
more wars,
wars, he
accepted an assignment to go to Indochina to cover the first Indochina war. On
May 25th 1954 Capa was accompanying a French regiment, when he left his jeep
to take some photographs of the advance and stepped on a land mine. He was
taken to a nearby hospital, still clutching his camera, but was pronounced dead on
arrival. He left behind him a testament to the horrors of war and a standard for
photojournalism that few others have been able to reach.
9. Capa’s legacy h has
as lived
lived on th
though
ough and inin 1966 hi
hiss brot
brother
her Cor
Cornell
nell ffounded
ounded
International Fund for Concerned Photography in his honor.hono r. There is also a
Robert Capa Gold Medal, which is given to the photographer who publishes the
best photographic reporting from abroad which demands exceptional courage. But
perhaps his greatest legacy of all are the haunting images of the human struggles
that he captured.

Questions 1-11

1. Wh
Whyy did
did Capa
Capa ccha
hang
ngee hi
hiss na
name
me??
A. To hid
hidee his
his ide
identi
ntity
ty
B. Bec
Becaus
ausee he had been
been invo
involve
lvedd in pro
protes
tests
ts
C. To sou
sound
nd mor
moree A
Amer
merica
ican.
n.
D. Bec
Becaus
ausee he had to
to leave
leave Hungary
Hungary..

2. Ca
Capa
pa or
orig
igin
inal
ally
ly w
wan ante
ted
d to be
A. A phot
photoj
ojour
ournal
nalis
istt
B. A writer
C. Ameri
erican
D. A pro
prote
test
stor
or

3. Ca
Capa
pa went
went Spai
Spain n tto
o
A. fig
fight
ht iin
n the
the ci
civil
vil war
B. buil
build
d hihiss re
repu
puta
tati
tion
on
C. ha
have
ve a hol
holid
iday
ay

D. ta
take
ke pho
photo
togr
grap
aphs
hs
4. Capa’s famous pictu
picture
re Dea
Deathth of a Loy
Loyalis
alistt Sol
Soldier
dier
A. was taken
taken by someon
someonee else
else
B. was defini
definitel
tely
y genui
genuine
ne
C. was
wasn’t
n’t eve
evenn ta
taken
ken in Spai
Spainn
D. can
cannot
not be pr
prove
ovenn genuine
genuine or stage
staged.
d.

5. Whe
Whenn wo
world
rld War II broke
broke out
out Capa
Capa
A. we
went
nt to New
New Yor
York
k
B. swa
swam
m asho
ashore
re o
on
n Omaha
Omaha Beac
Beachh
C. went
went to Euro
Europe
pe
D. we
went
nt to Norm
Normand
andy
y
6. Ammis
ista
take
ke m mea
eant
nt that
that
A. only one
one hundr
hundred
ed of Cap
Capa’s
a’s photogra
photographs
phs were
were publi
published
shed
B. Cap
Capaa los
lostt bot
both
h his two ccame
ameras
ras..
C. Capa’s images inspired
inspired an Oscar winning
winning movi
movie.
e.
D. Most of Capa’s
Capa’s images
images of tthe
he D-Day llanding
anding were
were destroyed
destroyed..

7. Ca
Capa
pa’s
’s priv
privat
atee li
life
fe w
wasas
A. less dramat
dramaticic than hi hiss profession
professional
al lif
life.
e.
B. Spe
Spent
nt mmost
ostly
ly iin
n Hollyw
Hollywood.
ood.
C. Very
Very gla
glamo
mororousus
D. Sp
Spent
ent in Tu
Turkrkey
ey

8. Ca
Capa
pa want
wanted ed his
his wor
work k tto
o
A. be ver
very
y ffam
amou ouss
B. sho
show
w ho
howw glamo
glamorou
rouss war can be
C. sho
show
w th
thee tr
true
ue horro
horrorr of war.
war.
D. Ma
Make
ke lot
lotss of mo
moneneyy

9. Whi
Which
ch senten
sentence
ce best
best paraphr
paraphraseasess paragra
paragraph
ph 5?
A. Capa had a tragic
tragic private
private lif
lifee and was never
never able to se
settle
ttle do
down
wn and fin
find
d
happiness.
B. Despite
Despite having many
many good friends
friends and lovers,
lovers, Capa alway
alwayss put his work ffirst
irst..
C. Capa wanted
wanted to make friend
friendss with importa
important
nt people in
in Holly
Hollywood
wood so th
that
at he
could move into the movie industry
D. Capa’s private
private life
life was very co complic
mplicated.
ated. He could not ch choose
oose between
between the two
women he loved, so he went off to work in Turkey.

10. Which sent

sentence
ence best paraphrases
paraphrases paragraph
paragraph 4?
A. Capa never tried
tried to avoid da
danger.
nger. He risked
risked his life
life to take photo
photographs
graphs of tthe
he D-
Day invasion, but then destroyed most of them.
B. Capa took some
some of his most famfamous
ous photog
photographs
raphs dur
during
ing the D-Day
D-Day invas
invasion,
ion, but
most were tragically destroyed in an accident.

C. These
Capa only kept
kept the
inspired thevisual
best eight
eig ht D-Day
style ph
photogra
otographs
of a Hollywood phs as the othe
film. others
rs were out of focus.
focus.
D. Capa left
left Europe when
when the war broke
broke out aand
nd went to take
take his mo
most
st famo
famous
us
photographs of the D-Day invasion.

11. Which THREE sentences in the box to your right best summarize
summarize the passage?
 sentence 1

 sentence 2

 sentence 3

 sentence 4

 sentence 5

 sentence 6
Answers:

1.C 2.B 3.B 4.D 5.C 6.D 7.C 8.C 9.B 10.B 11. 2,3,5

Tornadoes

[1] Tornadoes are one of the most severe types of weather phenomena. While many people fear
tornadoes and their destructive power, few people understand their real causes and effects, nor
are they aware of how to protect themselves from their devastating force.

[2] Tornadoes, violently rotating columns of air, occur when a change in wind direction, coupled
with an increase in wind speed, results in a spinning effect in the lower atmosphere.
These whirling movements, which may not be visible to the naked eye, are exacerbated when
the rotating air column shifts from a horizontal to a vertical position. As the revolving cloud draws
in the warm air that surrounds it at ground level, its spinning motion begins to accelerate, thereby
creating a funnel that extends from the cloud above it to the ground below. In this way, tornadoes
become pendent from low pressure storm clouds.

[3] When a tornado comes into contact with the ground, it produces a strong upward draft known
as a vortex, a spiraling column of wind that can reach speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour.
Traveling across the landscape, the tornado wreaks a path of concentrated destruction. It is not
uncommon for these twisters to lift heavy objects, like cars or large animals, and throw them
several miles. Houses that succumb to the force of the tornado seem to explode as the low air
pressure inside the vortex collides with the normal air pressure inside the buildings.

[4] Tornadoes can occur at any time of the year, but are typically most frequent during the
summer months. Equally, tornadoes can happen at any time during the day, but usually occur
between 3:00 in the afternoon and 9:00 in the evening. While these fierce funnels occur in many
parts of the world, they are most common in the United States. { A * } On average, there are
1,200 tornadoes per year in this vast nation, causing 70 fatalities and 1,500 injuries.

[5] Although taking myriad shapes and sizes, tornadoes are generally categorized as weak,
strong, or violent. The majority of all tornadoes are classified as weak, meaning that their duration
is less than 10 minutes and they have
h ave a speed under 110 miles per hour. Comprising
approximately 10 percent of all twisters, strong tornadoes may last for more than 20 minutes and
reach speeds up to 205 miles per hour. Violent tornadoes are the rarest, occurring less than one
percent of the time. While uncommon, tornadoes in this classification are the most devastating,
lasting more than one hour and resulting in the greatest loss of life. { B * } Even though only
violent tornadoes can completely destroy a well-built, solidly-c
solidly-constructed
onstructed home, weaker ones can
also cause great damage.

[6] Owing to the powerful and destructive nature of these winds, there are, perhaps not
surprisingly, a number of myths and misconceptions surrounding them. For instance, many
people mistakenly believe that tornadoes never occur over rivers, lakes, and oceans;
yet,waterspouts
yet,waterspouts,, tornadoes that form over bodies of water, often move onshore and cause
extensive damage to coastal areas. In addition, tornadoes can accompany hurricanes and
tropical storms as they move to land. Another common myth about tornadoes is that damage to
built structures, like houses and office buildings, can be avoided if windows are opened prior to
the impact of the storm. Based on the misunderstanding that open windows might equalize the
pressure inside the structure and minimize the damage to it, this action can instead result in fatal

injury. { C * }
[7] Because of the profound effects that tornadoes have on communities and their inhabitants,
safety measures are of paramount importance during adverse weather conditions. Drivers often
attempt to outrun tornadoes in their cars, but it is extremely unsafe to do so. Automobiles offer
very little protection when twisters strike, so drivers should abandon their vehicles and seek safe
shelter. Mobile homes afford little shelter, so residents of these homes should go to an
underground floor of the sturdiest nearby building.{
building.{ D * } In the case of a building having no
underground area, a person should go to the lowest floor of the building and place him or herself
under a piece of heavy furniture. If no building is available,
a vailable, a person caught in a tornado should

lie prostate in a nearby ditch or other depressed area of land and cover his or her head
Question 1: The word whirling in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. * invisible

B. * rotating

C. * extended

D. * worsening

Question 2: The word pendent in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. * revolving

B. * quickening

C. * hanging

D. * parallel

Question 3: Which of the sentences below is the best paraphrase of the following sentence from
paragraph 3?

Traveling across the landscape, the tornado wreaks a path of concentrated destruction.

A. * The tornado causes great damage to landscaped areas, such as parks and gardens.

B. * The tornado focuses its damage primarily upon localities that have been heavily
landscaped.

C. * The tornado only causes damage to open areas, but the damage is usually very
severe.

D. * As the tornado moves through the countryside, it causes extensive, geographically

centralized damage.

Question 4: The phrase these twisters in paragraph 3 refers to

A. * tornadoes

B. * concentrated destruction
 C. * landscapes

D. * explosions

Question 5: All of the following key facts about tornadoes are mentioned in paragraph 4
EXCEPT

A. * the yearly number of deaths from tornadoes

B. * the time of day when tornadoes usually take place

C. * the time of year when tornadoes are most common

D. * the average wind speed of most tornadoes

Question 6: The word myriad in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. * limited

B. * extreme

C. * many

D. * average

Question 7: In paragraph 5, what is the author’s main purpose?

A. * to explain how tornadoes are classified

B. * to identify the most frequent type of tornadoes

C. * to emphasize the loss of life and damage to property caused by tornadoes

D. * to compare weak tornadoes to strong tornadoes

Question 8: Based on the information contained in paragraph 6, which of the following best
explains the term waterspouts
waterspouts??

A. * Tornadoes that move away from coastal areas

B. * Tornadoes that occur over oceans, rivers, and lakes

C. * Tornadoes that occur onshore

D. * Tornadoes that accompany tropical storms and hurricanes

Question 9: Look at the four stars { * } that indicate where the following sentence could be added
to the passage.
Indeed, the highest number of deaths and injuries are not caused by the winds themselves, but
by flying debris, such as broken glass from open windows.

A. * { A * }

B. * { B * }

C. * { C * }
D. * { D * }

Question 10: According to paragraph 6, what can be inferred about the public’s knowledge about
tornadoes?

A. * A large number of people know how to avoid tornado damage.

da mage.

B. * Most people appreciate the risk of death associated with tornadoes.

C. * Some members of the public know how to regulate the pressure inside buildings.

D. * A number of people are not fully aware of certain key information about tornadoes,
especially about tornado safety.

Question 11: What is the safest place to be when a tornado strikes?

A. * an abandoned vehicle

B. * mobile homes

C. * the basement of a building

D. * under a piece of sturdy furniture

Question 12: According to the passage, tornadoes are considered to be a severe weather
phenomenon because

A. * many people fear them.

B. * they produce strong vortexes.

C. * they can be placed into three discrete categories.

D. * they can result in death and devastation.

Question 13: Select the answer below that represents the two most important ideas contained in
the passage.

A. * (i) Tornadoes can cause catastrophic loss in terms of life and property.
(ii) Everyone should be educated about what to do in the event of a tornado.
 B. * (i) Most tornadoes occur in the afternoon.
(ii) Few tornadoes are violent.

C. * (i) Some members of the public are ill-informed about when and where tornadoes can
occur.
(ii) Sheltering in a ditch is a last resort if a tornado should strike.

D. * (i) Most tornadoes occur in the afternoon.

Answers

1.B 2.C 3.D 4.A 5.D 6.C 7.A 8.B 9.C 10.D 11
11.C 12
12.D
13.A